Metal electrodes have proved useful in sensor elements for sensing a diverse range of biologically important molecules eg glucose, and for determining physical properties such as pH. A range of possible configurations and applications involving metal electrodes are discussed in our co-pending applications PCT/AU96/00210, PCT/AU96/00365 and PCT/AU96/00723.
A desirable attribute of all sensor elements is that they have a long shelf life—that is, the sensing characteristic of the sensor element does not change significantly between manufacture and use (ie on storage).
In an electrochemical sensor element the stability of the electrode is critical to the stability of the sensor as a whole. Typically, when left to stand for long periods of time, electrodes become prone to instability in subsequent use thus limiting the useful shelf life. It is thought that such instability is caused by absorption or reaction of the metallic surface with atmospheric contaminants. It has also been observed that filling time of sensors deteriorates on prolonged storage.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least some of the above disadvantages in the prior art.
Surprisingly, the present applicant has found that by coating a metal electrode with a monolayer or multilayer of selected materials, electrode behavior can be significantly stabilised in comparison with uncoated metal electrodes without loss of the desirable sensing characteristics of the electrodes.